Today, we wear white
When I was a kid, my parents pounded into my head how lucky I am to have been born in the US. My mom, especially, emphasized how lucky as a…
In Pursuit of Purpose
I've been thinking a lot about what makes for meaningful work. People often think that finding meaning is the same as finding happiness. More accurately, it's about being willing to…
With fellow artist Gabriela Riveros and some of our students from Escuela Verde who worked on the mural.
Our Stories Share the Same Roots: A Community Mural Project
It's been a really good summer, in many ways. Full of laughter and play. Weekend trips. Camping. Outdoor excursions and inside jokes. Crackling fires. Summer pies. At the same time,…
What God Looks Like
My mother once told me the story of a cartoon she saw in a newspaper some years ago, which explained God. In the cartoon, God is a faceless, featureless oval on a table. People come…
Still from Artist Talk at ALL
Our Relationship with Power: Why It Matters & What We Can Learn
Did you miss my show at Arts + Literature Laboratory? Here's a recap of why I chose to focus on power and a video of the story I told at the reception.…
Lessons of departure: the heart and mind of a rural town in a tourists’ economy
Lanesboro Arts Center is beautiful. The space is bright, open, welcoming, and full of activity. They regularly host artists and writers to use the space as a getaway to focus on projects,…
Ink drawings of Trees by Jenie Gao
A welcome interruption: a letter for busy people
We are a culture in transit, both for the joy and the agony of it. Our long work commutes depress us, while ideas of travel and escape excite us. In…
Flat Pictures of High Places - ink and watercolor drawing by Jenie Gao
Rules are made to be…
I'm a lover of paradox, for those who didn't know, especially the man-made ones. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, you need a parking permit to keep your car on the street at night.…
"The Substance of Your Beauty," ink and watercolor drawing by Jenie Gao
Art and Leadership: the power and purpose of creativity
I recently wrote an article called “The Myth of the Starving Artist—and what it can teach us about job security.” In it, I discuss how society’s attitude towards art parallels…
The love affair of art & politics-and the culture they create
The chase. The game. Love it or hate it, love it and hate it. Choose to play, choose not to play. There's no getting away from it. Our existence depends on…